Issaquah man is kickin’ it with new friends — Seattle Sounders FC players

April 3, 2012

By Staff

Brian Gordon (right), of Issaquah, holds a new pair of autographed goalkeeper gloves after a scrimmage with (from left) Sounders FC forward Roger Levesque, keeper Michael Gspurning and forward David Estrada March 20 at the Starfire Sports center in Tukwila. By Greg Farrar

Brian Gordon raved about the men in rave green.

The Issaquah resident spent part of an afternoon kicking a soccer ball with a bunch of new friends — the 2012 Seattle Sounders FC.

Gordon earned the honor by winning the Man of the Match promotion of the Washington’s Lottery, which allowed one person and his family to suit up and practice with the Major League Soccer’s Seattle franchise.

On March 20, the dream of many a fan became true for Gordon, who traveled to the Sounders’ practice facility in Tukwila and got to share a soccer pitch with people like David Estrada, Michael Gspurning and Roger Levesque, all Sounder players.

“The fact that I got to take shots with Estrada and Levesque, well, it was beyond what I expected,” Gordon said in a press release. “We had such a blast. This was such a great opportunity.”

Gspurning, the Sounders’ goalkeeper, signed a pair of gloves for Gordon to take home. The team also gave Gordon custom Sounder jerseys.

The Man of the Match promotion was the first of its kind between a state lottery and an MLS franchise. Sounder fans participated last season by attending matches and picking a player they thought would be named Man of the Match, said a Washington’s Lottery spokesperson.

Participation for the promotion was so high that it’s coming back this season, with prizes like an all-access pass, a sideline seat and a photographer’s press pass at stake. It’s the latter one that Gordon hopes to win this year, the spokesperson said.